Keagan Girdlestone will line up for the opening round of the 2017 Subaru National Road Series next week – just 10 months after almost losing his life in an horrific crash.

The 20-year-old, who had signed for Pro Continental team Dimension Data, collided with a team car at a race in Italy last June and was then in a coma. He severed his carotid artery and jugular vein, paralysed his right arm, suffered brain bruising and had several strokes and a cardiac arrest on the operating table.

 

A third of the right side of his brain was declared ‘dead’ due to oxygen deprivation, and the South African born youngster was told he would never race again. But Girdlestone was back on a bike by November and was able to compete in the 100km Le Race in his adopted hometown of Christchurch two months ago.

And now he is set to complete his amazing comeback by taking part in the Grafton to Inverell Classic which opens the 2017 NRS season on May 13.

“The Subaru NRS is where I developed into the cyclist I am today,” Girdlestone said. “It was where I learnt to ride in a bunch, and get smashed, but I learned and eventually started winning.

“I really believe I’m ready for this. I’ve had an awesome block of training, I’ve gained movement and dexterity in my right arm and I’m lean and super hungry to get back into the NRS for this race. It’s a really competitive level of racing and I just want to ride!”

Girdlestone will be a guest rider at Grafton-Inverell with newly formed Team Ultra Racing which will feature a line up of rising young talent.

“I'm actually as fit as I've ever been and mentally far superior to what I used to be," he added. “This is just another piece in the comeback puzzle and I think it's a great opportunity to keep pushing myself to find new limits! 

“That said, since my crash, I’ve become notorious for wanting to over achieve so the not-so-secret secondary goal is to finish with the bunch – or what remains of it.”